TY - JOUR
T1 - A review of shark conservation and management legal frameworks in the Philippines
AU - Oposa, Anna R.
AU - Techera, Erika J.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank the Tsuha Global Fellows Program for enabling the development of this paper. Anna Oposa would also like to thank Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines, Save Philippine Seas, Save Sharks Network Philippines, and Oceans 5 for supporting shark conservation policy work in the Philippines.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2023/9
Y1 - 2023/9
N2 - Sharks are among the oldest groups of vertebrate animals, dating back to over 400 million years ago. In recent decades, fishing pressure and demand for shark products and derivatives, such as fins, meat, oil, have increased significantly, driving global declines in shark populations. Sharks are a valuable resource in the Philippines and are used for both extractive and non-extractive purposes. The primary objective of this paper is to outline international, national, and local legal frameworks that enable the management and conservation of sharks in the Philippines. This review commences by providing some background regarding the politico-legal context of the Philippines, as well as information related to shark populations, fisheries and research in this country. This paper also aims to make a case that the Philippine government is in a unique position to build on the momentum of past initiatives by passing comprehensive national shark legislation and continuing to support regulation of shark trade globally. While a national legal framework on its own cannot solve all the issues related to shark fisheries and management, it will help create and institutionalize an anchor for existing and future conservation, research, governance, and communication initiatives.
AB - Sharks are among the oldest groups of vertebrate animals, dating back to over 400 million years ago. In recent decades, fishing pressure and demand for shark products and derivatives, such as fins, meat, oil, have increased significantly, driving global declines in shark populations. Sharks are a valuable resource in the Philippines and are used for both extractive and non-extractive purposes. The primary objective of this paper is to outline international, national, and local legal frameworks that enable the management and conservation of sharks in the Philippines. This review commences by providing some background regarding the politico-legal context of the Philippines, as well as information related to shark populations, fisheries and research in this country. This paper also aims to make a case that the Philippine government is in a unique position to build on the momentum of past initiatives by passing comprehensive national shark legislation and continuing to support regulation of shark trade globally. While a national legal framework on its own cannot solve all the issues related to shark fisheries and management, it will help create and institutionalize an anchor for existing and future conservation, research, governance, and communication initiatives.
KW - Elasmobranchs
KW - Shark legislation
KW - Shark policy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85162111218&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.marpol.2023.105713
DO - 10.1016/j.marpol.2023.105713
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85162111218
SN - 0308-597X
VL - 155
JO - Marine Policy
JF - Marine Policy
M1 - 105713
ER -